We can't verify the provenance of this video, but this apparent footage of a pro-Russian separatist talking to journalists while under fire has been doing the rounds on social media. His reaction to a Grad missile landing nearby is quite something:
Good morning. We'll start the live blog today with this little news snippet from Russia:
Russia has decided not to ban Euronews over footage showing Ukrainian forces using an image depicting President Vladimir Putin as Adolf Hitler for target practice.
State communications regulator Roskomnadzor voiced the decision in a response to a query from pro-Kremlin lawmaker Mikhail Markelov, Russian media reported.
Markelov had said last month that there was "every reason" to open a criminal investigation and prohibit Euronews from broadcasting in Russia.
But Roskomnadzor said the target appears in the clip for only about five seconds and "it is not possible for the viewer to visually establish a .... likeness between the image on the target and the President of the Russian Federation," according to media reports.
"We have claims against Euronews," state-run news agency RIA Novosti quoted Roskomnadzor spokesman Vadim Amelonsky as saying.
(TASS, RIA Novosti, RBK)
We are now closing the live blog for today, but you can still keep up with all our ongoing Ukraine coverage here
Are the Kremlin Hardliners Winning? - Institute of Modern Russia http://t.co/NBHD6SZoNQ
— toomas hendrik ilves (@IlvesToomas) October 7, 2014
This short report has been filed by the Crimean Desk of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
A Crimean Tatar man who was found dead on the annexed peninsula has been buried today in his native town of Saky.
Edem Asanov, 25, was found hanged in the city of Yevpatoria on October 6 after being missing for days. Crimea's Moscow-backed officials say he must have committed suicide.
The wife of the Crimean Tatars' veteran leader Mustafa Dzhemilev, Safinar Dzhemileva, who attended the funeral, told RFE/RL that she did not believe Asanov took his own life.
"We are now hostages here," Dzhemileva said. "They [Russia-backed officials] treat us as prisoners and nobody is held accountable."
The majority of Crimean Tatars, Crimea's Turkic-speaking Muslim native people, have opposed Russia's annexation of the Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine in March.
Several Tatars have been abducted in recent weeks and their whereabouts remain unknown.
The hottest spot in the East right now- #Donetsk airport.UA army is still holding the position. 07.10 AP pic.twitter.com/FZhauVuFSB”
— Kateryna_Kruk (@Kateryna_Kruk) October 7, 2014
For Putin's bday, this Ukrainian fan wearing a mask of the Russian leader ran through a stadium in his underpants https://t.co/ZrjGg2ws2J
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) October 7, 2014
#OSCE doesn't have enough observers to monitor cease-fire deal in #Ukraine http://t.co/3UGwcGoVs2 pic.twitter.com/iXNHmA0txO
— Kyiv Post (@KyivPost) October 7, 2014
That @novaya_gazeta article, translated. 'He wasn't a volunteer,' says wife of Russian officer killed in east Ukraine http://t.co/fBPsGgWaBS
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) October 7, 2014
Another update from RFE/RL's news desk:
The electoral commission for the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) in eastern Ukraine has called for a delay in conducting parliamentary and presidential elections.
Roman Lyahin, the chairman of the so-called DNR Central Election Commission, said today that no decision had been taken yet on postponing the planned November 2 elections but he said "more than 15% of the territories where polling stations are located are unfit for the elections."
Lyahin said another week is needed to make all the necessary preparations.
Underscoring the problems, Lyahin said his commission had just received the registration documents from the Novorossiya movement.
Lyahin also said the so-called prime minister of the DNR, Aleksandr Zakharchenko, was the only person so far to file documents to run for the DNR's top post and Zakharchenko "is the only one who is collecting signatures" to be registered as a candidate.
No country besides Russia is likely to recognize elections in the pro-Russian separatist held region as being legitimate.
(Interfax, TASS)